Posted on 01/03/2007 10:57:18 AM PST by abb
(01/03/07 -- DURHAM) - Duke lacrosse defendants Colin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann are both expected to be reinstated today as Duke students in good standing, two sources close to the case told ABC News. Also on abc11tv.com: Send us news tips | Desktop Alert | ABC11 AccuWeather | Pinpoint Traffic Defendant David Evans was allowed to graduate last spring, but underclassmen Seligmann and Finnerty were suspended from the University pending a resolution of the assault charges.
December 22, 2006, prosecutors dropped rape charges against the three Duke lacrosse players accused of attacking a stripper at a team party, but the three still face kidnapping and sexual offense charges.
According to court papers filed by District Attorney Mike Nifong, the accuser says she now does not know if she was penetrated during the alleged attack.
The accuser, a 28-year-old student at North Carolina Central University, has said three men raped her in a bathroom at a March 13 Duke lacrosse team party where she was hired to perform as a stripper.
The indicted players - Dave Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann - all say they are innocent, and their attorneys have consistently said no sex occurred at the party.
Evans graduated from Duke in May, the day before he was indicted. Sophomores Finnerty and Seligmann were suspended following their April 2006 indictments.
The Duke lacrosse team was also suspended from play, but was reinstated in June on a provisionary basis.
A press conference from defense attorneys is expected this afternoon.
Stay with abc11tv.com and ABC11 Eyewitness News for the latest on this developing story.
Protestent ministers who operate out of Churches they bought from General Steel and forgot the thing about everyone being sinners. Frequrently, they wind up in the news later for being Gay.
You forgot the "Rick" :)
I have been trying to see your point through all your posts, but believing that "everyone" knows they're not rapists is incredibly naive. There are a whole bunch of people who still think that these boys are guilty of rape, and that the DA has pressured Mangum into recanting her story. That's where the damage to their reputations comes in. There are those who will think that getting the IDs tossed is just a "technicality". There are people out there who STILL believe that Mangum was raped, sodomized, and beaten at a privileged white boys' party. That these people are ignorant doesn't matter. The accused rapists' reputations have been permanently marred by this, in much the same way as someone who has truly been raped suffers (one of the reasons for the rape shield laws).
You can ask a hundred times if you want. I made plenty of dumb choices in my college days and I suffered the just consequences for a good many years. Now, for you, I'm supposed to put it all out here so that people who know me on this board but know nothing about my past can know all about it now? Yeah, right.
Did you suffer unjust consequences? I doubt it.
If? You implied that you DID get caught doing something stupid and that you took your lumps for it.
You're quite free with the whoremonger label and the "tsking", now how about you tell us about your high crimes or misdemeanors.
Reade is a fine young man who does more than his share of charity work, and helps young kids with sports in his community. He is very well liked and admired for all he does.
It is more of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
What if you went to a party and in the backroom you found out people were doing drugs and decided to leave..and the party was busted and someone (who was drugged out of their mind) identified you in a line up and said you are the one that brought the drugs.
3 weeks later the police charge you with being at the party trafficking drugs. Do you think that would be fair? After a lengthy trial and million $$ spent on defense you were found not guilty. How do you get your reputation back? Or is it OK for people to say, "There goes that drug dealer!"
Thread Highjacking Alert!
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I'll agree with you if you pay their legal bills.
Thread Highjacking Alert!
I was kind of viewing it as a gang troll beat down.
LOL, it was that fer sure.
Last Updated: 1/3/07 at 5:07 PM EST
DUKE OFFERS TO REINSTATE FINNERTY, SELIGMANN
Online Update 1/3
Staff Reports The Chronicle
Duke officials have offered to reinstate Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann for the spring semester, President Richard Brodhead confirmed Wednesday afternoon.
The decision, which could allow the two to graduate with their class and make them eligible for the upcoming lacrosse season, comes nearly two weeks after Durham District Attorney Mike Nifong dropped charges of rape against all three indicted members of the 2005-2006 men's lacrosse team.
David Evans, the third player indicted, graduated with his class last May. The three still face charges of kidnapping and sexual offense.
"We have decided that the right and fair thing to do is to welcome back Reade Seligmann and Collin Finnerty to resume their studies at Duke for the spring semester," Brodhead said in a statement. "Although the students still face serious charges and larger issues require Duke's collective attention, the circumstances in this case have changed substantially, and it is appropriate that the students have an opportunity to continue their education."
In a memo to Brodhead Jan. 2, Larry Moneta, vice president for student affairs, said that although the charges against the two are still unresolved and very serious, the "totality of circumstances" has changed in such a way that the University now feels the two should have the chance to resume as students in good standing.
"As circumstances have evolved, we have attempted to balance recognition of the gravity of legal charges with the presumption of innocence, and concern for the well-being of the community with the students' needs to continue their education," Moneta said in the report. "Circumstances have clearly changed. At this point, further extension of the students' leaves would do unwarranted harm to their educational progress."
Finnerty's father, Kevin Finnerty, told The Chronicle Wednesday afternoon that Collin had been reinstated and that Collin and his family will not make a final decision on Duke's offer until all charges have been dropped.
"We are hopeful for successful resolution to these charges ASAP so Collin can move on with his life academically and athletically," Kevin Finnerty wrote in an e-mail. "We need to focus all of our attention to attain the right [innocent] outcome to these false accusations."
Moneta, who called Finnerty to announce the University's decision, said that he believes Finnerty is now leaning toward returning to campus for the spring semester.
Seligmann was not immediately available to speak about whether or not he will return. Moneta said Seligmann and his family were still tyring to weigh the consquences and implications of returning.
"We are also glad that Duke University has now made it clear that Reade is welcome to return to the University and look forward to the day that he can return to living a normal life and continuing his education as a full-time student," the Seligmann family said in a statement Wednesday. "By now it should be plain to any person who has any objectivity that the charges against Reade are transparently false."
Should they ultimately choose to return, Finnerty and Seligmann would be
eligible to compete for the Blue Devils this spring, members of the Department
of Athletics confirmed this week.
"There would be no question as to their eligibility," said Chris Kennedy, senior associate director of athletics.
Throughout the ongoing legal case, head coach John Danowski has maintained his stance that the indicted underclassmen would be eagerly welcomed back to the team once they are reinstated to the University. He reiterated his desire for the players to return in an interview with The Chronicle last week.
Though the complete schedule has not been released, Duke begins its 2007
campaign at home against Dartmouth Feb. 24.
Nope.
Granted, these young men appear to be suffering some unjust consequences. But, the damage to their reputations isn't unjust.
By and large, we all deserve whatever damage is done to our reputations. Walter Williams said much the same just the other day when he subbed for Rush.
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